Event

St. Petersburg Grand Prix Gala 2013 featuring Ferrari Lotus & Lexus LFA

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This pink Lotus Elise attracted a crowd at the 2013 St. Petersburg Grand Prix Gala - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 2.5 sec tripod mounted with cable releaseThe Friday evening before the actual 2013 St. Petersburg Grand Prix race was the Grand Prix Gala featuring numerous supercars and other things, but for me of course, all my attention was on the cars.  The Lotus Elise above was painted a shockingly bright pink.  Though this car looks rather exotic, it is relatively not that expensive and can be had for around $55,000.  

Ford GT in the foreground at St. Petersburg Grand Prix Gala 2013 - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 9-exposure HDRWelcoming you to the Grand Prix Gala was a Ford GT (in foreground doors open) followed by a line of Ferraris, Porsches and a Maserati.  There was a sudden rain shower as I arrived limiting the shots I could get outside, but it did add a nice sheen to the look of the above shot overall.

Ferrari 458 Spider in yellow at St. Petersburg Grand Prix Gala 2013 - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 7-exposure HDRThis was my first time to see a Ferrari 458 Spider in person.  I had seen the 458 Italia many times before, so I was glad someone brought this Spider to show what an open top adds to what most consider the best current supercar in existence.   

Lexus LFA #406 at the St. Petersburg Florida Grand Prix Gala 2013 - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 7-exposure HDRFeatured prominently also was this, famous to me, Lexus LFA #406.  I have now seen it on at least four different occasions.  The comments I hear most as people walk by it is their surprise that the car is a Lexus.  I guess not everyone is subscribed to the Lexus Enthusiast then!  

St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce 114th Annual Meeting event photography

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Handing out awards at the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce 114th Annual Meeting at the Vinoy Hotel - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/5.6 ISO 800 1/60th SB-800 hotshoe mounted @ 1/2 powerI continued my long standing relationship with the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce when I photographed their 114th Annual Meeting last night at the Vinoy Hotel in of course downtown St. Pete.  I have photographed several events at the Vinoy Hotel each time getting to see a new ballroom and that continued last night as well shooting for the first time in the Palm Ballroom.  It was not unexpected that it was as about as dark as it gets for indoor photography inside the ballroom.

It was packed inside & outside the Palm Ballroom of the Vinoy Hotel - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/5.6 ISO 1600 1/40th SB-800 hotshoe mounted @ 1/2 powerWhen I arrived I could hardly make my way through the crowd.  It was absolutely jam packed.  I found a small corner to unpack and get both my Nikons out.  That of course made it even more of a squeeze to get through the crowd with two DSLRs hanging off my shoulders.  In such situations I look for a bit of breathing room somewhere and stay put and photograph those that pass by instead of constantly moving through the crowd myself.  After a few minutes in a spot, I then move to another one.

Dan Heath co-author of SWITCH was the keynote speaker - Nikon D80 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 800 1/100th SB-600 hotshoe mounted @ 1/2 powerDan Heath gave a very entertaining keynote speech.  What I will remember from it is that teenagers make about 29% good decisions, roughly the same percent as businesses do!  There were several other speakers before him.  It actually takes many shots to get one of a person speaking where the person does not have some kind of unflattering facial expression.  Many.

Mingling during the St. Pete Chamber of Commerce 114th Annual Meeting inside the Vinoy Hotel - Nikon D80 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 800 1/100th (no flash)It was a fun event to photograph as I got to see many of my networking and Chamber friends in the crowd and as often happens when I photograph events, I got to run in circles I would normally not be found in.  Makes me feel like an insider!

Sweet & Sassy Tampa Birthday Party with Juliana

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Juliana lying across the laps of 25 of her friends at Sweet & Sassy Tampa - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/5.6 ISO 200 1/60th - Strobist: SB-800 in brolly to frame left & SB-600 in shoot through umbrella to frame rightOn Saturday I ventured to a most unusual place in Tampa called Sweet & Sassy to photograph Juliana's 9th birthday party.  Juliana and her family are returning clients.  I photographed her 7th birthday party and also made beach portraits of her family.  At Sweet & Sassy she was joined by 25 (!) of her friends for a spa treatment and runway fashion time.

Juliana celebrating her 9th birthday in a most unusual way at Sweet & Sassy Tampa Florida - Nikon D80 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 800 1/100th SB-600 hotshoe mounted at 1/4 powerApparently having mud put on your face and cucumbers on your eyes is something done on purpose.  I am not sure if I would ever willingly try it, but it sure makes for an interesting photograph of Juliana that her mom can no doubt use to embarrass her at her 29th birthday party!

On the runway during her birthday party at Sweet & Sassy Tampa - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 200 1/250th - Strobist: SB-800 in brolly to frame right front & SB-600 in shoot through umbrella to frame right backAfter the spa treatment and makeovers, it was time to hit the runway.  Each girl got several changes to walk the runway and strike a pose.  There was just enough space for me to set up two of my speedlights to get a strobist shot like the one above, which allowed for soft and directional lighting.  With the speedlight on camera, this of course would not have been possible.

Karaoke singing at Sweet & Sassy Tampa during her birthday party - Nikon D80 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 800 1/100th SB-600 hotshoe mounted at 1/4 powerAfter the runway out came the mic for three karaoke songs.  To my own embarrassment, and a blow to my punk rock cred, I knew all three!  I believe the first was called "You Don't Know Your Beautiful," the next was "Call Me Maybe," and the last was a new catchy Taylor Swift song about never, ever getting back together, apparently.  

Juliana with glitter makeup during her birthday party at Sweet & Sassy Tampa - Nikon D80 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 800 1/100th SB-600 speedlight hotshoe mounted @ 1/4 powerThere was sparkling glitter everywhere!  So much that I had to be careful what I leaned up against and where I set my photography gear down.  Juliana can be seen in the above photo with a glitter tattoo as well as a hairdo covered in glitter.  

Mother and daughter during her 9th birthday at Sweet & Sassy Tampa - Nikon D80 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 800 1/100th SB-800 hotshoe mounted @ 1/4 power

Mom and daughter together for a quick portrait before Juliana went back to having a blast with her friends helping her celebrate her 9th birthday.  I am thankful that I continue to be her family's photographer for their life events.
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    VIP EYE CARE St. Petersburg Customer Appreciation Event 2012

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    VIP Eye Care boutique customer choosing new frames - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/5.6 1/10 ISO 800 zooming in while shutter pressed & Nikon SB-800 @ 1/4 power hotshoe mountedI have a long relationship with VIP EYE Care in St. Petersburg.  They have been both my source of eye care and also a loyal photography client (see here).  My lastest photography assignment for them was photographing their 2012 Customer Appreciation Celebration event.  

    A packed boutique at VIP Eye Care - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/5.6 1/60th ISO 800 Nikon SB-800 Speedlight @ 1/4 power hotshoe mountedI roamed around photographing candids of customers checking out all the fashionable eyeglass frame choices.  I learned that choosing a new pair of glasses is quite an involved decision.  In fact, I saw several people looking whan I arrived at 6pm and only finally decided just before I left at 8pm!

    This pair or that pair? - Nikon D80 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 800 1/100th Nikon SB-600 Speedlight @ 1/4 power hotshoe mountedI also started to pick up on some insider jargon, always something I like to do.  There are letter and number code names for specific lens shapes.  Not surprisingly, new designs are carefully kept secret I also heard from one vendor.

    Even babies tried new glasses - Nikon D80 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 800 1/100th with Nikon SB-600 @ 1/4 power hotshoe mountedEven a baby got to try on some new shades during the celebratory event.  I am very thankful for the continued business from VIP Eye Care and highly recommend Dr. Henri if you are looking for a very good eye doctor.

    Cars & Couture 2012 Tampa International Jet Center

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    Ferrari 458 Italia & Ferrari FF at Cars & Couture 2012 event in Tampa - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 9-exposure HDR tripod mounted with cable release

    • If I took your photograph at this event, CONTACT ME for your portrait!

    I was given a media pass to the Cars & Couture 2012 event at the Tampa International Jet Center that was held to benefit the charity Autism Speaks.  Being an avid supercar fan, I was very excited to have the opportunity to photograph some of my favorite cars in a cool setting.  In the above photo, you can see my absolute current favorite car, the Ferrari 458 Italia on the left.  This was also my first chance to get to see the new Ferrari FF (on the right) in person.  I thought the FF looked smaller than I thought it would being a 4-seater with ample cargo space.  

    An Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione looks out over the Tampa International Jet Center airfield - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 9-exposure HDR tripod mounted with cable release

    I arrived at 6pm as the sun was getting low in the sky allowing me to catch some of the sunset mixed with the hangar location of the event as seen in the above shot of a very rare Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione.  I like the design of this Alpha quite a lot.  It was given the best spot, perhaps because it arrived late!

    Cars & Couture 2012 in Tampa featured private jets too! - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 7-exposure HDR tripod mounted with cable releaseI must say that an airplane hangar makes a great venue for showcasing cars and allowing guests to have both an indoor and outdoor experience, especially when there is a big view of the Florida sky at dusk as a backdrop.  It was a little hot inside the hangar though as even this late into October Florida refuses to acknowledge that it is in fact autumn.

    NASCAR was even represented at Cars & Couture 2012 in Tampa! - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 9-exposure HDR tripod mounted with cable releaseI had a great time at this event and am very thankful I was given a press pass.  My supercar itch, is for the moment, somewhat scratched!

    Clearwater Ribbon Cutting Event for 211 Tampa Bay Cares

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    A festive ribbon cutting at 211 Tampa Bay using many pairs of scissors! - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/5.6 ISO 800 1/60th SB-800 on hotshoe @ 1/4 powerOne of my favorite types of photography jobs I get our ribbon cutting events.  This Wednesday I got to photograph no less than two ribbon cuttings for 211 Tampa Bay as they held a morning event and an afteroon one too.  The morning was hosted by the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce so I got to see some old friends from there and other networking regulars.  It was really tight quarters for where they wanted to do the ribbon cutting.  I had to stand about 4 feet up on a ladder to get high enough to clear a wall of cubicles to make the above shot.

    There were a lot of iPads and iPhones featuring the 211 Tampa Bay app to try out - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/5.6 ISO 800 1/60th SB-800 on hotshoe @ 1/4 powerI immediately saw that 211 Tampa Bay utilizes a lot of tech access via apps for the iPhone and iPad.  They had some staff members giving demonstrations with chances for visitors to get hands on with the apps themselves also.

    The Mayor of Largo Patricia Gerard (center) - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/5.6 ISO 800 1/60th SB-800 on hotshoe @ 1/4 powerThe Mayor of Largo Patricia Gerard attended the morning ribbon cutting ceremony along with 211 Tampa Bay board members.  Everyone wants a photo op with the mayor!

    Sharing laughs at the 211 Tampa Bay ribbon cutting event - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/5.6 ISO 800 1/60th SB-800 on hotshoe @ 1/4 powerThere was a lot to do at this event from using tech like the iPad to taking a tour of the call center, and of course eating and having laughs with friends.  Everyone with 211 Tampa Bay was very friendly.  It was a good atmosphere to shoot in.

    I resisted using an iPad so I did not feel the need to get one of my own! - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/5.6 ISO 800 1/60th SB-800 on hotshoe @ 1/4 powerI look forward to continuing to be the photographer for 211 Tampa Bay.  It is always nice to be able to photograph a fun event, expand my business network and of course provide the client with images they will enjoy for years to come.

    Florida Governor Rick Scott at Office Depot Foundation children's event in Tampa

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    Florida Governor Rick Scott at Office Depot Foundation August 2012 - Nikon D80 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 800 1/100th SB-600 @ 1/2 power hotshoe mountedPeriodically as a Tampa Event Photographer I get to photograph government officials and politicians ranging from the Mayor of St. Petersburg all the way to the U.S. Secretary of Labor.  This afternoon I had the opportunity to photograph Florida Governor Rick Scott when he appeared at the Office Depot Foundation event celebrating its charity work giving away backpacks full of school supplies to Tampa Bay area children.

    Florida Governor Rick Scott back row left with school children - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/5.6 ISO 800 1/60th SB-800 @ 1/2 power hotshoe mountedThis was my third time photographing an event for Office Depot who I am very glad to continue to have a very good business relationship with.  Shooting these events helped me to learn the real world efforts Office Depot puts forth that directly help the local community any particular store is in.  

    Young Tampa girls getting to meet Governor Rick Scott of Florida - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/5.6 ISO 800 1/60th SB-800 @ 1/4 power hotshoe mountedPeople of all ages were excited for their chance to shake hands with the Governor and have a little chat with him.  I was frankly surprised that these girls showed up early to the event just for their "grip & grin" chance as it is called in the industry.

    Everyone in attendance with Florida Governor Rick Scott (center back) - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/5.6 ISO 800 1/60th SB-800 @ 1/2 power hotshoe mountedIt was a bit of a tight fit, but everyone honored at the event was able to be fit into a single photo.  I stood up on a chair to be able to make this shot, guessing that standing on the floor right in front of them may not be enough.  The event took place right in an Office Depot in a small area prepared for less people than the many that actually came!  It was nice and cozy though.

    Everyone competing for Governor Rick Scott's words.I was by no means the only photographer there.  Plus, there were several camera men.  So I had to compete for space and positioning most of the time at the event, as well as predict where the best angle to photograph the Governor would be as he mingled throughout the store.  It was a fun challenge and kind of cool to be around the local press and media.  Thank you again to Office Depot for the opportunity!

    UPDATE:  see me (left side) in action in a photo taken by the Governor's official photographer